KC Royals Will Be Upstaged By Chicago Cubs Victory In Baseball History

The KC Royals struck a blow for underdogs by winning the 2015 World Series after 30 years of failure. On Wednesday night, the 2016 Chicago Cubs sent that win into the memory hole by breaking a 108-year championship drought.

In every city besides Kansas City and New York, the 2016 World Series was more memorable than Kansas City’s 2015 victory. The 2015 World Series lasted a mere five games. The 2016 fall classic lasted the full seven. The Chicago Cubs became the first team since the 1985 Kansas City Royals to overcome a 3-1 series deficit. Then there is that little 108 years of failure thing.

Given that the Cleveland Indians were also looking to break a historic string of failure of 68 years, the 2016 World Series was going to be remembered no matter how it played out. When Game 7 went to extra innings decided by one run, it became destined to be one of the classic World Series wins in baseball history.

Years from now, the Cubs win will obliterate the Royals in the memory of baseball fans old enough to remember this era.

The KC Royals loyalist in me wants to deny it. I’d like to point out the Kansas City Royals record eight comeback wins in the playoffs along with their seven rallies after the sixth inning. I want to insist that Eric Hosmer‘s mad dash outshone any single play in the Cubs-Indians series for sheer drama. I keep trying to tell myself that three late-inning rallies against Mets closer Juerys Familia should at least earn the KC Royals some consideration in the history books.

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But, I’m fooling myself.

Aside from Kansas City Royals fans, everyone else will be talking about the Chicago Cubs in years to come. Hell, I’ll be talking about this Cubs-Indians match-up. Of course, it’ll never be as much fun as seeing the KC Royals win the title in 2015 or 1985.

The Greatest Game 7 I Have Ever Seen

Objectively, however, I have to admit that the Cubs-Indians featured the best Game 7 of any World Series I have seen in my life.

Seriously, is there really any close contender in the last 50 years? Royals-Giants in 2014 was pretty great. But, it didn’t feature the reversal that the Indians pulled with their three-run rally in the eighth. The Diamondbacks saw the Yankees score single runs in the seventh and eighth to take a one run lead in 2001. And, yes, the Diamondbacks had to beat an all-time great closer in Mariano Rivera. Their two run rally in the bottom of the ninth to win 3-2 was thrilling. But, that game didn’t go extras.

Jack Morris‘ 10 inning shutout in a 1-0 gem to give the Twins a seven game victory over the Braves in 1991 remains a classic. But, the Cubs game was just more exciting with its questionable decisions by Joe Maddon, brutal error by David Ross, and heck, we even got a rain delay. To me, the only Game 7 that really comes close is Bill Mazeroski‘s walk-off home run in 1960 to push the Pirates over the Yankees. Of course, that game occurred before I was born.

I must admit, I had hope I might one day see a movie about the 2014-15 Kansas City Royals. I don’t know, maybe a sort of anti-Moneyball flick about how in an age of numbers, the Royals proved that chemistry and sheer will to win still matter. However, I can’t imagine anyone making a movie about this era choosing anything else but the Cubs as their subject.

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Hey, at least former Royals Ben Zobrist and Mike Montgomery played big roles in the win. Zobrist doubled to put the Cubs ahead 7-6 in the tenth inning, while Montgomery recorded the final out. Heck, Zobrist took home the MVP trophy for the series.

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